Retiring fire and rescue service dog Frankie fetches guard of honour
A search and rescue dog in Washington has been given a guard of honour on her retirement.
Frankie, a seven-year-old Belgian Malinois, was just ten months old when she joined Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service.
She was brought to England by the Dogs Trust after being found as a stray in Ireland and became the service's first-ever full-time Search and Rescue dog.
She trained with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, before a six-week initial course with Northumbria Police, and a USAR Canine assessment and an Open Area High Risk missing person’s course.
Her colleagues came together on her final day to give her a special farewell.
Frankie is given a guard of honour by her colleagues at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service.
During her six years of service, she has developed a special bond with Watch Manager Steve Carr.
He said: “Frankie has always been one of the most important tools in our USAR armoury, as she can find and indicate the location of a casualty in minutes. This is something that could potentially take the team hours, if not days, if the person was unconscious, unresponsive or even entombed.
“Frankie's role has been imperative to firefighter safety, as she can navigate rubble and collapsed structures without causing the potential of secondary collapse endangering firefighters and the trapped casualties.
“Over the past six years, I have loved every minute of my time with Frankie. There has been some blood, sweat, tears and tantrums, but it has all been worth it. I will miss Frankie being by my side.”
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Stewart Nicholson said: “One of the most important elements of the fire service is teamwork, especially in some of the most hazardous environments our USAR team encounters.
“Over the past six years, Frankie has played an important role in that team, and her specialist skills have always been second to none.
“Watch Manager Carr and Frankie have developed a formidable partnership that has been a credit to TWFRS. We all wish Frankie a happy and healthy retirement.”
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...